Should we introduce mandatory DQ checks for the top 5 (or even top 10) images? That would probably dissuade everybody from even trying to spot-edit or otherwise break the rules. As far as I know, the way it works now, if you are good in PS (so nobody notices anything unusual), you can easily get away with editing a photograph.
If the motivation for editing a picture is to score higher, and the motivation for scoring higher is to get in the top 3, then routinely checking the top 3 (or 5, or 10), would automatically remove the reasons for editing and (if my theory holds water) rid us of the disqualifications once and for all.
I think it should be that way. Not everybody nows how to mess with the info on the picture. And I think it should not be allowed to take a picture of a spot editet picture like a picture that won not so long ago I think that is cheating :p
Oh, editing EXIF data is not particularly hard. But doing a perfect spot-edit on a raw camera file is quite a lot harder than it seems (spot editing is usually the first step in the digital workflow, before colours, contrast, and resizing happens, all of which in effect helps disguise the spot editing in a digital image file).
I think it should be that way. Not everybody nows how to mess with the info on the picture. And I think it should not be allowed to take a picture of a spot editet picture like a picture that won not so long ago I think that is cheating :p
When I first started participating on DPC I thought they would automatically ask for exif data if you won. Of course I knew I would never win, place, or show so I didn't worry about needing to provide that information. Well, guess what, I was on vacation and traveling accross the US and the picture I entered before I left home was doing real well. Each timeI would call my kids and they would tell me it was getting a higher score than the last time. You think hitting the refreash button is addicting, try doing it on a cell phone in the middle of the Great Salt Flats. Then I began to worry about exif data in the case that I might win. None of my kids knew how convoluted my storage system was and I didn't think they could find it if it became necessary.
Low and behold I placed third in the challenge and thank God they never asked for the information, which was a relief and also a let down. I lost a degree of faith that everyone was on an even playing field and unlawfull changes might go un-noticed.
In a nutshell I support that at least the first five positions should submitt EXIF and the original file.
I completely agree with the mandatory check for top 5 or 10 photos. Some photos I've seen in the current challenge were so good I wondered if they were really possible for DPC people.
There is of course another possibility - we could vote for spot editing to be allowed. Then we wouldn't have to worry about people cheating. Just a thought...
Depending on the program you use to edit, the EXIF data may be included in your submitted picture. PS7 will retain the EXIF data, and I'm pretty sure some other apps do as well. And, the EXIF data is really only a small piece if the verification - it won't tell if spot edits were made, will it? As Marbo hinted at with the 14mb raw comment, you'd have to submit the original, unprocessed photo. (Raw might be an issue with proprietary formats - would it have to at least be converted to JPEG?) And, timing could be an issue: at what point do you require the original? After voting, before the announcement, require it from the top X pictures two days before the end of voting? And if DPC doesn't receive it in time, is it DQed automatically?
BTW, I support the idea. There's just a lot of extra issues that may need to be worked out...
With nothing at stake but bragging rights I can't comprehend why someone would knowingly cheat. How could you get any personal satisfaction knowing that YOU are a fraud?
Of course many of the DQ's are honest mistakes and that is an entirely different situation.
The problem is the real cheaters will find a way to cheat the EXIF data too.
I favor the honor system myself. If someone is actually going to cheat to get a little ribbon next to their name, let them have the ribbon... Their self-esteem is obviously in desperate need of the lift.
For me, I prefer to trust folks. I may be taken advantage of from time to time, but my stress level is nice and low.
Also, who is volunteering to go through these extra 15 to 30 shots a week looking to see if a hot pixel has been cleaned up? And how are we to trust whoever does it? Eventually, you need to trust someone... Just trust everyone and don't worry so much :)
EDIT : Please excuse my use of colonial spelling... Since we broke with the Kingdom, the American education system has deteriorated...
Now, granted is the fact that I personally will never win a ribbon with the camera I have, so I don't have to worry about cameras that don't save EXIF info. And all the people that do win generally have good cameras that do save EXIF info.
But what if, by some strange happening, I accidently do finish in the top ten with a photo that is completely unedited. Would my photo be DQed because I have a low end camera?
